Biography
Shiva Akbari is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the KITE Research Institute and the University of Toronto, where she leads research on AI-driven, multimodal diagnostics for sleep apnea and neurodegenerative diseases. She recently completed her Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering at the University of Toronto, where her work on cooperative localization and binary sparse modeling advanced signal processing techniques for wireless communication and positioning.
Shiva Akbari is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the KITE Research Institute and the University of Toronto, where she leads research on AI-driven, multimodal diagnostics for sleep apnea and neurodegenerative diseases. She recently completed her Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering at the University of Toronto, where her work on cooperative localization and binary sparse modeling advanced signal processing techniques for wireless communication and positioning.
Her current research focuses on developing explainable deep learning and generative models that leverage speech and facial biomarkers to create non-invasive and accessible diagnostic tools for underserved populations. She has published in leading IEEE journals and conferences, including IEEE Transactions on Mobile Computing, IEEE Transactions on Wireless Communications, ICASSP, and EMBC.
Shiva has been recognized with multiple honors, including selection to the Cardiovascular Remote Diagnostic and Monitoring for Health Equity (CaRDM Eq) Program, the Edward S. Rogers Sr. Graduate Scholarship, the Doctoral Completion Award, and the Amii Talent Bursaries. She serves as an Editorial Board Member for BioMedical Engineering OnLine and is an active IEEE volunteer, currently serving on the IEEE Women in Engineering , Industry Outreach Committee of the Toronto Section. Beyond research, she is passionate about mentorship, student training, and advancing health equity through AI.
Current Position
Chair of IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology